While large retailers are betting on the variety of commercial brands, Dilmun — an online supermarket with deliveries in Mexico City — builds bridges between those who produce food in a sustainable way and those who consume it.
Under a fair trade model, Dilmun delivers seafood directly from the sea to the table, without intermediaries. “Our priority is to work with producers from every corner of the country: small, others more established, but all of them selected for their very high quality, ethics and for their sustainable methods that are grateful to the earth and the environment,” said Alejandra Ortiz, co-CEO of the company.
With this type of market, they guarantee that the products are delivered fresh. Source: Carlos Aguilera/EDF Mexico.
The platform with the international certification “B Corp” granted by the Global 'B' Movement first allied itself with local farms and producers, and then incorporated wild seafood into its offer.
Ortiz explained that the goal is clear: to shorten the supply chain so that the producer receives a fair payment and the consumer has access to fresh, nutritious and less polluting food.
“We do this so that the customer has fresher food, full of nutrients and that takes care of their health. Also so that the producer receives better payment for his work. By shortening the chain of intermediaries, we pollute less and there is less use of gasoline, for example,” he stressed.
The main objective is to eliminate middlemen
Unlike the conventional model where there can be up to 12 intermediaries, Dilmun reduces that number to zero. This not only favors the producer, but also minimizes the use of packaging, avoids waste and reduces unnecessary costs. For now, deliveries are made exclusively in Mexico City. Orders are placed online and arrive the next day.
Those who collaborate in the initiative believe that it is not yet necessary to open a physical store, as this would entail expenses such as the rent of a store, which would result in higher prices. In addition, the digital model allows people to save time by avoiding trips to the supermarket.
People from Mexico City who use this service save time on transfers. Source: Dilmun.
The seafood they offer is certified by Smart Fish, an organization that promotes sustainable and socially responsible fish production. One of Dilmun's strongest alliances is with the Punta Abrejos Cooperative Society, located in Baja California Sur, where agreements are built on respect for the work of fishermen.
“We work so that they are the ones who set the prices they consider convenient, we don't ask them for discounts on anything because we don't want them to sacrifice the margin that their business can give to grow. Nor do we want them to become maquilators of their products, but rather to grow at their own pace,” said Ortiz.
Punta Abreocchi as an ally
Eduardo Enríquez González, a fisherman and member of the cooperative, celebrates this form of commercialization because they see the benefits directly. “The right thing is always to pay the prices we ask for because our colleagues go fishing at 4:00 in the morning, even in bad weather. They return until 5:00 in the afternoon. Sometimes there is no product and you have to look for it. So the idea is to have these markets,” he said.
Dilmun seeks to work with cooperatives that fish artisanally. Source: Carlos Aguilera/EDF Mexico.
Before this alliance, products were sold in a traditional way and at very low prices, despite the fact that everything is captured with artisanal techniques. Today, the benefits reach not only fishing partners, but also the entire community of Punta Abrejos, where jobs are also created for activities such as filleting.
“At the beginning of changes like these, we will benefit as workers, as partners, as a cooperative. What we want is that every time we pay well for what we catch,” he stressed.
With more than 100 members, the cooperative has been Smart Fish certified for more than a decade. Species such as verdillo, horse mackerel, sole and curvina have been sold through Dilmun for two years. In addition, they have begun to diversify their offer with value-added products, such as machaca de curvina and chorizo de snail.
“With this we already have another variety of products that we can offer for this type of market that is ideal for us without intermediaries,” said Enríquez.
* This article was written by Itzel Chan, who covers coastal communities thanks to the support of the Report for the World program .
Comentarios (0)